Conditioning and physicality have been points of emphasis in the opening days of Nets camp. Under second-year coach Jordi Fernández, the focus is clear: only the strongest will last.
“Some people are strong,” Noah Clowney said. “[Day’Ron Sharpe] is obviously a big person, so you struggle with some people, you stand up others. It’s all dependent on personnel.”
The good news for Brooklyn is that Clowney, entering his third season, got the memo. Once a wiry prospect, the former first-round pick has added muscle and now looks primed for the next stage of his growth. His bulked-up frame has been hard to miss among teammates.
“He looks great, and credit to him and the work he’s put in the whole summer,” Fernández said. “He looks like a grown man at just 21, and I’m excited to watch him play real games.”
Clowney, a 6-9 forward, weighed 210 pounds at Alabama and carried that listing into his first two NBA seasons, though he said he played closer to 220–225 pounds last year. A summer spent eating with purpose and grinding in the weight room has reshaped him.
Now he’s a different beast at 234 pounds, aiming to turn the added strength into durability and growth.
“That’s been the whole goal, being a better driver,” Clowney said. “I have to get stronger; I have to be able to drive through contact and be able to still be able to explode.”
The 21-year-old averaged 9.1 points and 3.9 rebounds last season but missed 36 games because of multiple ankle sprains. He appeared in 46 games last season, nearly double his rookie total of 23, but his scoring efficiency dropped sharply both at the rim and from 3-point range.
Clowney is obviously aiming to rebound after a disappointing second season. With a sturdier frame to handle the rigors of an 82-game slate, he appears better equipped for the challenge ahead.
“My primary goal is just to stay healthy, and outside of staying healthy, just to get better every game,” Clowney said. “I learn something from each game, but I don’t like to make the same mistake over and over again. That’s the goal.”
Fernández noted that Clowney was a good rebounder before, but with his added strength, “he’ll be a better rebounder.”
However, Clowney has yet to average even one assist through two seasons, a reminder of his growth area as a decision-maker. He sees the solution in becoming more aggressive downhill in transition while focusing on playing off two feet — a habit that gives him better balance and control when possessions get chaotic.
“I just don’t want him to overthink it, you know? It’s not that complicated,” Fernández said. “Just go ahead, go there and play. He puts his time and work into it. And I’m going to let him make mistakes, as long as the intentions are good. So, I don’t want him to be trying to analyze everything… So, so far, keep it simple. Go there and don’t overthink.”
